April 14, 2007
By JOHN SHIBLEY, LSSU Public Relations
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - Lake Superior State University's Alumni Association presented its Paul Ripley Award for Young Alumni to Kris Dunbar of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., during LSSU's annual Student Leadership Awards program on April 10.
The Ripley Award has been given to 13 LSSU alumni since its inception in 1994. It honors graduates who enjoy exceptional personal and professional success early in their careers. Those honored must have graduated within the last 15 years.
The former Laker head women's basketball coach holds the record for most wins in the university's history. She became LSSU's director of athletics in March 2006.
During her eight-year stint as head coach and senior women's administrator, Dunbar led the Lakers to a 154-72 record, including five straight 20-win seasons and five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
She was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year in 2002, and Women's Basketball Coaches Association Michigan College Coach of the Year in 2003. She was also named the GLIAC's top coach in 2005 after winning her fourth straight GLIAC North Division title. She led the Lakers to GLIAC Tournament titles in 2003 and 2004.
While leading LSSU through its best basketball era in school history, Dunbar's 2002-2003 team topped the NCAA in field-goal shooting percentage and her top scorer in 2005-06, Becky Marquardt-King, led the nation in field-goal shooting percentage.
"Kris has received national recognition for her successes off the court as well," said LSSU President Betty J. Youngblood, who presented the award to Dunbar. "Her teams were incredibly impressive academically."
Dunbar coached All-American Alice Duesing `03, who went on to earn the Today's Top VIII Award, which is the highest NCAA honor a student-athlete can receive. Duesing and her husband, former Laker hockey player Jason Nightingale, are currently in graduate school at Notre Dame.
Now that Dunbar is athletic director, she is focusing her attention on increasing the number of endowed scholarships for athletics, increasing Laker Club membership and winding up the "Home Court Advantage" Campaign for a new wood floor in the Norris Center's Cooper Gymnasium. "Home Court Advantage" kicked off in June 2006 and the $300,000 project will be concluded at the end of this summer.
"Kris exemplifies all that is right with Lake State," said Susan Fitzpatrick, director of Alumni Relations. "She is a shining example of what can be accomplished with hard work and dedication."
Dunbar graduated from LSSU in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She earned a master's degree in education from Elmira College in 1997. She and her husband, Al, have two sons, Tyler, 3, and Jaylen, 1.
"What has helped me most in my career is surrounding myself with good people. Their confidence, loyalty, enthusiasm, and passion have helped shape me into the type of leader I hope to become," said Dunbar in accepting the award. "I am thankful to LSSU for giving me such amazing opportunities to grow as a professional and a person."
The Paul Ripley Award for Young Alumni is named for LSSU's first alumni director. Ripley, a member of the first class at the Sault Branch of Michigan Tech in 1946, held several positions during his tenure at LSSC, including director of Career Planning and Placement, and director of College Relations. An associate professor of journalism, Ripley established the Laker Log alumni magazine, which remains a vital link between LSSU and alumni today. Ripley retired in 1987.
